Chamelaucium plant named ‘SIRIUS’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct Chamelaucium cultivar named ‘SIRIUS’ is disclosed, characterized by abundant, large white flowers and flower buds flushed salmon pink. Petals have a semi-erect attitude. Flower production begins in winter. The new variety is a Chamelaucium, normally producing cut flower stems, or as a garden or container plant.

Latin name of the genus and species: Chamelaucium megalopetalum x C.unicinatum.

Variety denomination: ‘SIRIUS’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new Chamelaucium cultivar is the product of a planned breedingprogram conducted by the inventor, Nitzan Nir, in Kfar Hess, Israel. Theobjective of the breeding program was to produce new Chamelauciumvarieties for ornamental commercial applications. The new variety wasselected as a seedling from the breeding program at a commercial nurseryin Kfar Hess, Israel.

The crossing resulting in this new variety was made in January of 2017.The seed parent is the unpatented variety referred to as Chamelauciummegalopetalum ‘Guy’. The pollen parent is the unpatented varietyreferred to as Chamelaucium uncinatum ‘Atar L’. The new variety wasdiscovered in December of 2019 by the inventor in a group of seedlingsresulting from previously mentioned crossing, in a commercial nursery inKfar Hess, Israel.

Asexual reproduction of the new variety has been performed by terminalvegetative cuttings. This was first performed in May of 2020 at acommercial nursery in Kfar Hess, Israel in and has shown that the uniquefeatures of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type in atleast 4 successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘SIRIUS’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, day length, and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘SIRIUS’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘SIRIUS’ as a new and distinct Chamelauciumcultivar:

-   1. Large flower size.-   2. White flower color.-   3. Semi-erect attitude of petals.-   4. Large bud size.-   5. Salmon pink bud coloration.-   6. Upper surface of the receptacle is colored green and maintains    this green color.

PARENT COMPARISON

Plants of the new variety ‘SIRIUS’ are similar to plants of the seedparent in most horticultural characteristics, however, plants of the newvariety ‘SIRIUS’ differ in the following:

-   1. Upper surface of the new variety's receptacle is green, while    that of the seed parent is green when opening, then turns brown when    aging.-   2. Bud color of the new variety is salmon pink at the apex, and    green at the brim. Bud color of the seed parent is red.

Plants of the new variety ‘SIRIUS’ are similar to plants of the pollenparent in most horticultural characteristics, however, plants of the newvariety ‘SIRIUS’ differ in the following:

-   1. Bud color of the new variety is salmon pink at the apex, and    green at the brim. Bud color of the pollen parent is green.-   2. Bud shape of the new variety is flattish, while the bud shape of    the pollen parent is round.-   3. Buds of the new variety are approximately 30% to 50% larger than    buds of the pollen parent.-   4. Flowers of the new variety are approximately 30% to 50% larger    than flowers of the pollen parent.-   5. Petals of the new variety have a semi-erect attitude, while    petals of the pollen parent have a horizontal attitude.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

Plants of the new variety ‘SIRIUS’ are comparable to the varietyChamelaucium uncinatum ‘Adi’, unpatented. The two Chamelaucium varietiesare similar in most horticultural characteristics; however, the newvariety ‘SIRIUS’ differs in the following:

-   1. Bud color of the new variety is salmon pink at the apex, and    green at the brim. Bud color of this comparator is red.-   2. Flower color of the new variety is white, while the flower color    of this comparator is purple.-   3. Upper surface of the new variety's receptacle is green, while    that of this comparator is green when opening, then turns brown when    aging.

Plants of the new variety ‘SIRIUS’ are comparable to the varietyChamelaucium uncinatum ‘Early Maya’, unpatented. The two Chamelauciumvarieties are similar in most horticultural characteristics; however,the new variety ‘SIRIUS’ differs in the following:

-   1. Bud color of the new variety is salmon pink at the apex, and    green at the brim. Bud color of this comparator is red.-   2. Flower size of the new variety is approximately 30% to 50% larger    than the flower size of this comparator.-   3. Upper surface of the new variety's receptacle is green, while    that of this comparator is green when opening, then turns brown when    aging.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates a plant of the newvariety at approximately 1 to 2 years of age.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of the flowers.

The photographs were taken using conventional techniques and althoughcolors may appear different from actual colors due to light reflectanceit is as accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Mini Colour Chart 2005 except where general termsof ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observationsand measurements describe ‘SIRIUS’ plants grown outdoors in Kfar Hess,Israel. The growing temperature ranged from 15° C. to 35° C. during theday and from −2° C. to 35° C. during the night. General light conditionsare bright, normal sunlight. Measurements and numerical values representaverages of typical plant types.

-   Botanical classification: Chamelaucium megalopetalum uncinatum    ‘SIRIUS’.-   Age of plant described: About 2 months old from a rooted cutting.-   Typical flowering stems harvested per plant: 120 to 150 during the    course of the season.-   Vase life of flowers: Two weeks.

PROPAGATION

-   Time to produce a rooted plantlet: 30 to 60 days at approximately    24° C.-   Root description: Split root.

PLANT

-   Growth habit: Upright.-   Height: 150 cm. to top of foliage; 148 cm. to top of flowers.-   Plant spread: 130 cm.-   Branching characteristics--   Length of primary lateral branches: 60 cm and up on average.-   Diameter of lateral branches: 0.1 to 0.25 cm. (branches from the top    30 cm. of the primary lateral branch).-   Quantity of primary lateral branches: 120 to 150.-   Characteristics of primary lateral branches:    -   -   Diameter.—0.4 cm, measured at 50 cm from top.        -   Color.—Near RHS Greyed-Green 197A.        -   Texture.—Smooth.        -   Strength.—Low flexibility.-   Internode length: Range from 2 to 8 cm, section of top 30 cm.

FOLIAGE

-   Leaf:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite.        -   Quantity.—Approximately 10 leaves, in the 5-10 cm section            from the top of the branch.        -   Average length.—1.3 cm.        -   Average width.—1.1 mm.        -   Shape of blade.—Needle.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Truncate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture.—Smooth.        -   Pubescence.—None.        -   Aspect.—Straight.        -   Color.—Young foliage, upper side: RHS Green 137A. Young            foliage, under side: RHS Green 137A. Mature foliage, upper            side: RHS Green 137A. Mature foliage, under side: RHS Green            137A.        -   Venation.—Indistinguishable from foliage.        -   Petiole.—Not present.

FLOWER

-   Natural flowering season: Winter.-   Days to flowering from rooted cutting: Photoperiodic conditions. No    juvenility.-   Inflorescence type: Panicle.-   Individual flower type: 5 petals, about 1.8 cm in diameter.-   Rate of flower opening: About 45 to 60 days from bud to fully opened    flower.-   Persistent or self-cleaning: Self-cleaning.-   Lastingness: About 2 weeks in a vase.-   Bud:    -   -   Shape.—Flattish.        -   Length.—0.51 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.5 to 0.55 cm.        -   Color.—Near White 155C with strong apical coloration near            RHS Red 41B.-   Inflorescence size:    -   -   Diameter.—18 to 24 cm.        -   Length.—22 to 34 cm.-   Flower size:    -   -   Diameter.—1.8 cm.        -   Length.—1.4 cm.-   Corolla:-   Petals:    -   -   Arrangement.—Rotate hypanthium.        -   Length.—0.8 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.8 cm.        -   Quantity.—5.        -   Texture.—Smooth.        -   Apex.—Round.        -   Base.—Fused.        -   Color.—When opening: Upper surface: RHS White 155C. Lower            surface: RHS White 155C. Fully opened: Upper surface: RHS            White 155C. Lower surface: RHS White 155C. Aging: Upper            surface: RHS White 155C. Lower surface: RHS White 155C.-   Interior corolla/tube:    -   -   Diameter.—0.9 cm.        -   Length.—0.4 cm.        -   Color.—When opening: Upper surface: RHS Yellow-Green 144A.            Lower surface: RHS Yellow-Green 144A. Fully opened: Upper            surface: RHS Yellow-Green 144A. Lower surface: RHS            Yellow-Green 144A. Aging: Upper surface: RHS Yellow-Green            144A. Lower surface: RHS Yellow-Green 144A.-   Calyx/sepals:    -   -   Quantity per flower.—5 sepals.        -   Shape.—Bow.        -   Length.—0.2 cm.        -   Width.—0.4 cm.        -   Margin.—Smooth.        -   Texture.—Smooth.        -   Color.—RHS White 155C.-   Peduncle: Peduncle consists of the plant stem.-   Pedicel:    -   -   Length.—0.6 to 1.3 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.1 cm.        -   Color.—RHS Yellow-Green 146C.-   Fragrance: None.

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

-   Stamens:    -   -   Number.—10.        -   Filament length.—2 mm.        -   Filament color.—Near White 155B.-   Anthers:    -   -   Shape.—Round.        -   Length.—1 mm.        -   Width.—0.3 mm.        -   Color.—RHS Orange 22A.-   Pollen: Not observed.-   Pistil:    -   -   Number.—1.        -   Length.—0.75 cm.        -   Style length.—0.7 cm.        -   Style color.—RHS White 155D.        -   Stigma.—Shape: Round. Color: RHS Yellow 18C.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

-   Seeds and fruits: Single flower produces one fruit. When the fruit    is fertile, it will produce 1 seed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Neither resistance nor susceptibility to    the normal diseases and pests of Chamelaucium have been observed to    date.-   Temperature tolerance: From −2° C. to 35° C.-   Drought tolerance: Very good tolerance for drought.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Chamelaucium plantnamed ‘SIRIUS’ as herein illustrated and described.